Apples and autumn go together \u2014 visits to apple orchards, making caramel apples and drinking delicious apple cider. Apples aren\u2019t meant to be eaten just in the fall though. Research shows that your health would greatly benefit from consuming these sweet and crunchy fruits all year long!<\/p>\n
We all know the popular phrase \u201can apple a day helps keep the doctor away.\u201d Is there any truth to this medieval saying that\u2019s been passed down from generation to generation?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what the research is showing on the health benefits of apples:<\/p>\n
Flavonoids<\/strong><\/p>\n Apples are very high in antioxidants called\u00a0flavonoids<\/a>. In fact, apples have the second highest level of antioxidants of any U.S. fruit. Antioxidants help reduce inflammation and keep cells healthy. This reduces oxidative damage or \u201crusting\u201d of cells, which can lower your risk of developing many cancers. These same flavonoids have also been shown in large studies to help reduce your risk for type 2\u00a0diabetes<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0heart disease<\/a>. One tip to keep in mind \u2014 be sure to eat the peel of apples. Two-thirds of the antioxidants in apples are found in the peel!<\/p>\n Fiber<\/strong><\/p>\n Apples are high in heart-protective soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is sticky and gel-like. As it moves through your digestive system, it grabs onto cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed back into the bloodstream. This helps to lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease.<\/p>\n Fullness<\/strong><\/p>\n The soluble fiber in apples also helps with portion control, blood glucose and weight management. When you eat something with fiber, water is attracted to it and fills up the stomach which provides a feeling of fullness. Soluble fiber helps food break down more slowly, leading to smaller peaks in blood glucose and feeling fuller for longer.<\/p>\n Lowers cholesterol<\/strong><\/p>\n Eating apples may lead to less hardening of the arteries. A\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0on healthy, middle-aged adults found that eating an apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL or \u201clousy\u201d\u00a0cholesterol<\/a>\u00a0by 40%.<\/p>\n Decreases inflammation<\/strong><\/p>\n Apples may also lower levels of C-reactive protein, a key marker of inflammation. Eating an apple a day for six months in\u00a0one study<\/a>\u00a0was found to decrease C-reactive protein by 32%.<\/p>\n Prevents disease<\/strong><\/p>\n Over 50?\u00a0A University of Oxford study<\/a>\u00a0found that eating an apple a day may be just as beneficial as taking a statin to prevent death from heart attack, stroke and vascular disease in people over 50 who do not already have heart disease.<\/p>\n Apples are great to eat on their own, but here are some other \u201ca-peel-ing\u201d ideas:<\/strong><\/p>\n Heather Klug is a registered dietitian at\u00a0Aurora Health Care<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n